New York Times: Patriot missile shortage halted plans to escalate US strikes on Iran

The New York Times has reported that US President Donald Trump and his senior national security and military advisers decided during a closed-door meeting to refrain, at least for now, from escalating military strikes against Iran. According to the report, the meeting was held on Friday, where senior military officials warned that expanding combat operations could dangerously deplete US stocks of Patriot interceptor missiles and other air defence munitions deployed across the Middle East. The newspaper said concerns over dwindling missile defence inventories, alongside the risk of a wider regional war, the vulnerability of US Gulf allies, potential global economic disruption, rising energy prices and a possible refugee crisis, were among the main factors behind the decision. Citing two people familiar with the discussions, the report said only a small number of Trump’s inner circle supported further military escalation. Senior US officials also argued that renewed large-scale operations would be unlikely to force Iran back to the negotiating table and could instead strengthen unity within the Iranian leadership. The New York Times added that US weapons stockpiles in the region are now in a worse position than they were in April. It said several of Trump’s advisers, including his son-in-law Jared Kushner, have instead backed continued negotiations and sustained economic pressure on Iran as a lower-risk alternative.